When your wife says "No!"
- Thread starter hotbarrelmama
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PATH
Member
I really need to get my wife out to a range. By the by, one persons weed is another persons flower! 
Sindawe
Member
Did that ONCE, she's now an Ex, and all subsequent prospects get a trip the range before things get remotely serious. As in "Third date, lets go kill some paper!" Those who blanch don't get a fourth date.
HBM:A big hearty WELCOME!!! Got any spinster sisters?
Pax: Hmmm....Maybe I should send your husband cuttings from my indoor jungle. If being snacked on by cats & watered with aquarim cleaning water don't kill 'em, I doubt YOU could.
crashresidue
Member
Cheers,
To: Pax, Hotbarrelledmama, and Shorts - THANKS!
My "Love" was raised "southern", so she had a gun in her hand as a "child", and had no adversity to marrying a "gun person". But, she didn't have a full grasp of "weapons and their use" until she read "Point of Impact" (Steven Hunter). It's a fictional "sniper" story, and yea, it gets "John Wayne" at times - but a GREAT read!
About a week after she read the book, we went to the "Gun Store" and I asked about an SKS, scoped, and the cost. She stood there, looking bored, and finally asked "Don't you have ENOUGH guns?" I responded "Honey, this one's for YOU!" Sounds like a Bud commercial, doesn't it? People - her eyes lit up like a spot-light!
I'm pretty sure that by the end of the week, I'd bought ALL the 7.62X39 in the county! Is there such a thing as a "gun - nempho"? Well, she's IT!
She's the one that "trained" me - that, just hitting the target at 500 yards isn't "good enough"!
I, now, spend hours "tweeking" the loads for "our" Sharps - just so she can sit behind "her" on the bench and ping ANY gong on the range. It's just a shame - she's the only woman(here) that's addicted to a "sniper rifle" that was designed 140 years ago. Yea, she out shoots me - every time!
Same with pistols - she "likes" wheelies, where I'm a slide gun nut. STILL, she can out shoot me on paper targets, but I think that in a real life situation - she'll hesitate. I'm working on that!
Last time I was in PNG, there was a gun club there that was working on an "interactive" gun range. "Live fire", combat oriented, that "shot" back at you if you delayed behind a "safe" position too long. I ran the prototype - once! Got my attention!
To all the Ladies that visit this forum - you ladies gotta' talk to your firends, etc. - let them know what you are and that "guns" aren't EVIL! Show up at the range, and SHOOT. Just don't sit in the "car" while you're "other half" is "busting" caps.
Just my $.02 worth.
Genlte winds,
cr
To: Pax, Hotbarrelledmama, and Shorts - THANKS!
My "Love" was raised "southern", so she had a gun in her hand as a "child", and had no adversity to marrying a "gun person". But, she didn't have a full grasp of "weapons and their use" until she read "Point of Impact" (Steven Hunter). It's a fictional "sniper" story, and yea, it gets "John Wayne" at times - but a GREAT read!
About a week after she read the book, we went to the "Gun Store" and I asked about an SKS, scoped, and the cost. She stood there, looking bored, and finally asked "Don't you have ENOUGH guns?" I responded "Honey, this one's for YOU!" Sounds like a Bud commercial, doesn't it? People - her eyes lit up like a spot-light!
I'm pretty sure that by the end of the week, I'd bought ALL the 7.62X39 in the county! Is there such a thing as a "gun - nempho"? Well, she's IT!
She's the one that "trained" me - that, just hitting the target at 500 yards isn't "good enough"!
I, now, spend hours "tweeking" the loads for "our" Sharps - just so she can sit behind "her" on the bench and ping ANY gong on the range. It's just a shame - she's the only woman(here) that's addicted to a "sniper rifle" that was designed 140 years ago. Yea, she out shoots me - every time!
Same with pistols - she "likes" wheelies, where I'm a slide gun nut. STILL, she can out shoot me on paper targets, but I think that in a real life situation - she'll hesitate. I'm working on that!
Last time I was in PNG, there was a gun club there that was working on an "interactive" gun range. "Live fire", combat oriented, that "shot" back at you if you delayed behind a "safe" position too long. I ran the prototype - once! Got my attention!
To all the Ladies that visit this forum - you ladies gotta' talk to your firends, etc. - let them know what you are and that "guns" aren't EVIL! Show up at the range, and SHOOT. Just don't sit in the "car" while you're "other half" is "busting" caps.
Just my $.02 worth.
Genlte winds,
cr
q102josh
Member
welcome to THR rachel! great story, very inspiring
Langenator
Member
Well, I've been told I'm lucky, because my wife likes guns, likes having them in the house (she doesn't have nightmares about guns, she has nightmares about the guns not working when she tries to shoot someone). We went to the range on our FIRST date, not the third.
She does say no sometimes, usually about additions to my C&R collection, as in "No, you already have one like that."
"But honey, that one is an Izhevsk '41, and this one is a Tula '42...I have to have it."
"No, it's an old gun, and we're here to look at .22 pistols/AKs/carry pistols for my purse."
"Yes, dear."
She does say no sometimes, usually about additions to my C&R collection, as in "No, you already have one like that."
"But honey, that one is an Izhevsk '41, and this one is a Tula '42...I have to have it."
"No, it's an old gun, and we're here to look at .22 pistols/AKs/carry pistols for my purse."
"Yes, dear."
jamz
Member
P95Carry said:
Caliber doesn't matter, they were coming right for her!
Hotbarrelmomma: OUTSTANDING first post! And well done for you courage in facing fears and overcoming. A very warm welcome to our community here.
Grab a chair, coffee's in the corner, join the chat! -James
ScottsGT
Member
My WIFE tricked me like that, but it was with having kids, not getting into guns
Actually, she was a rabid anti, that just tolerates them now. My first purchase was an SKS, not too long after we were married, and against her wishses. She made me keep them in the attic! Then an AR-15 SP-1. I bought the AR 1 week before the "crime bill" was passed. I sold it three weeks later for $1000 more than I paid for it. Then she liked guns She was actually going to give me a "Gift certificate" to go buy my first handgun, but I bought it right before Fathersday and beat her to the punch.
I've taken her to the farm once to shoot my Colt Govt. .380, but that is the only gun she has ever shot. I guess I need to get her to test drive the new AR. On a side note though, if she does get into guns, and finds out just how much I spent on filling up that "Black Cabinet" in the workshop, I'm toast!
I should have seen the writing on the wall. When we were engaged, we were at a Woolworths dept. store and they had M-1 Carbines for $225. She did everything she could to keep me from buying it, and I didn't. If she only knew what it cost her for me to finally get that carbine.
Actually, she was a rabid anti, that just tolerates them now. My first purchase was an SKS, not too long after we were married, and against her wishses. She made me keep them in the attic! Then an AR-15 SP-1. I bought the AR 1 week before the "crime bill" was passed. I sold it three weeks later for $1000 more than I paid for it. Then she liked guns
She was actually going to give me a "Gift certificate" to go buy my first handgun, but I bought it right before Fathersday and beat her to the punch. I've taken her to the farm once to shoot my Colt Govt. .380, but that is the only gun she has ever shot. I guess I need to get her to test drive the new AR. On a side note though, if she does get into guns, and finds out just how much I spent on filling up that "Black Cabinet" in the workshop, I'm toast!
I should have seen the writing on the wall. When we were engaged, we were at a Woolworths dept. store and they had M-1 Carbines for $225. She did everything she could to keep me from buying it, and I didn't. If she only knew what it cost her for me to finally get that carbine.
hotbarrelmama, that's a great story.
Glad to hear it.
In answer to your question, what to do when the wife "says no," I made sure the answer was "yes" before I ever got married.
I dated my wife in college for four years and then was engaged to her for a fifth year before we got married.
I knew her well enough to know that she wasn't anti-gun or scared of guns before we go married.
For me, it's not that I put guns before everything in my life.
It's that I would never actually marry a woman was fundamentally opposed to ideas and principles and values that I hold dear.
I would never marry a woman who is an ardent atheist, for example. Nor would I marry an ardent vegan, or an ardent communist, etc. etc.
Gun ownership is just one of those bedrock issues for me that I would have to get an answer to before "pulling the trigger" so to speak.
And just for reference, my wife currently has her own M-1 Carbine, a .22 pistol, and .45 1911 (that used to be mine) and a 20 gauge shotgun for clay birds.
hillbilly
Glad to hear it.
In answer to your question, what to do when the wife "says no," I made sure the answer was "yes" before I ever got married.
I dated my wife in college for four years and then was engaged to her for a fifth year before we got married.
I knew her well enough to know that she wasn't anti-gun or scared of guns before we go married.
For me, it's not that I put guns before everything in my life.
It's that I would never actually marry a woman was fundamentally opposed to ideas and principles and values that I hold dear.
I would never marry a woman who is an ardent atheist, for example. Nor would I marry an ardent vegan, or an ardent communist, etc. etc.
Gun ownership is just one of those bedrock issues for me that I would have to get an answer to before "pulling the trigger" so to speak.
And just for reference, my wife currently has her own M-1 Carbine, a .22 pistol, and .45 1911 (that used to be mine) and a 20 gauge shotgun for clay birds.
hillbilly
MikeIsaj
Member
"How long did it take for the transition to go to completion? Surely, not in just one session. (That would just be too fantastic to contemplate!)"
A few weeks ago at the range on a Friday night I watched that happen. 17yo girl with her father and her boyfriend. Boyfriend wants to shoot, girl thinks it's stupid. Within ten minutes girl is renting a gun for herself and has this huge grin on her face.
Welcome Rachel.
A few weeks ago at the range on a Friday night I watched that happen. 17yo girl with her father and her boyfriend. Boyfriend wants to shoot, girl thinks it's stupid. Within ten minutes girl is renting a gun for herself and has this huge grin on her face.
Welcome Rachel.
svtruth
Member
Welcome
Welcome Rachel. A beautiful post. A loving Mother's intensity in protecting her children is a very moving thing.
Welcome Rachel. A beautiful post. A loving Mother's intensity in protecting her children is a very moving thing.
It took me nearly 15 years to get my wife to the range. Now she has her CCW a couple of handguns and we go to the range at least once a month. She told me after she had fired her new pistol that she never realized how much fun shooting was.
For her first pistol she picked out a "Cute" two-toned Sig p239 w/ Hogue grips in 9mm. She shoots very well and bested me by one on our last range trip
Defense of the family is a team effort. Keep up the good work and have fun while you are at it. Welcome to the forum!!
For her first pistol she picked out a "Cute" two-toned Sig p239 w/ Hogue grips in 9mm. She shoots very well and bested me by one on our last range trip
Defense of the family is a team effort. Keep up the good work and have fun while you are at it. Welcome to the forum!!
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
Welcome to THR
thumbody
Member
Welcome Rachel,
Glad to hear you have joined the fun world of shooting.
And as crashresidue said Please let your friends both male and female know how much fun it is. I doubt there is a better persuader than someone who was formerly against guns.
Glad to hear you have joined the fun world of shooting.
And as crashresidue said Please let your friends both male and female know how much fun it is. I doubt there is a better persuader than someone who was formerly against guns.
wmenorr67
Member
I am glad to see that Rachel posted this story here. I saw this same post over on packing.org and suggested that she also post it here. Welcome to THR Rachel and do not be a stranger.
Brian Dale
Member
Good heavens, Rachel, you have a wonderful story. Welcome, indeed.
You wrote,
Hey, Chris: that's one that I never would have thought of: "what caliber for houseplants?"
Rachel, be sure to check out the old threads here on starter guns when your daughter is ready for a .22 rifle. My Dad started us out early, and I think that my sister's better with a rifle than I am (I still claim to be better with a shotgun than she is, though - of course, she's not reading this thread to dispute it ).
I look forward to the day when you let us know that you've taken up teaching.
You wrote,
Aren't you glad that it wasn't a boat? Talk about expense ...
Hey, Chris: that's one that I never would have thought of: "what caliber for houseplants?"
Rachel, be sure to check out the old threads here on starter guns when your daughter is ready for a .22 rifle.
My Dad started us out early, and I think that my sister's better with a rifle than I am (I still claim to be better with a shotgun than she is, though - of course, she's not reading this thread to dispute it ).I look forward to the day when you let us know that you've taken up teaching.
hayseed
Member
The title of this thread is very misleading.....
Kidding aside, I want to congratulate and welcome you Rachel, we need more gals like you in our "community" to dissolve the myth of gun owning and shooting being only for the "macho", or gun owners compensating for something below the waist.
You can reach other women in a way that us guys just can't, or don't know how to.
If you havn't already, I encourage you to join an organization like NRA, GOA, or SAS (Second Amendment Sisters). It's worth it.
Happy and safe shooting.
Kidding aside, I want to congratulate and welcome you Rachel, we need more gals like you in our "community" to dissolve the myth of gun owning and shooting being only for the "macho", or gun owners compensating for something below the waist.
You can reach other women in a way that us guys just can't, or don't know how to.
If you havn't already, I encourage you to join an organization like NRA, GOA, or SAS (Second Amendment Sisters). It's worth it.
Happy and safe shooting.
Rachel, thanks for the story and I second the motion that you need to take this zeal and reach out to other women who are "no" inclined. I will not call you a soccer mom or a pta mom, but it would do your children well to build a base of moms who say "Guns are bad ? Bullfeathers, let me show you and tell you why not."
PS On my second date my now wife was brought to my house and was shown my meager collection of guns. Her mom said it was my way of showing her she would be safe with me. About the only nice thing her mom ever said to me.
I had previous dated a liberal catholic girl who said with great conviction that her priest demanded that all good catholics should sell their weapons of death...I asked her really think about that and we never dated again .
not a poke at catholic, just that one psuedo peace-nik
PS On my second date my now wife was brought to my house and was shown my meager collection of guns. Her mom said it was my way of showing her she would be safe with me. About the only nice thing her mom ever said to me.
I had previous dated a liberal catholic girl who said with great conviction that her priest demanded that all good catholics should sell their weapons of death...I asked her really think about that and we never dated again .
not a poke at catholic, just that one psuedo peace-nik
Sheslinger
Member
Great post. Now you just have to start converting three women a month.
Welcome to THR.
Julie
Welcome to THR.
Julie
Holly76201
Member
Welcome, Rachel
I hope you feel as welcome as we feel happy to have a great gal like you among us.
It took having chirruns to protect that turned me from So-So to gun-ho. Now, whenever my Dearly Beloved buys a new one, I wait to go to the range and run a few rounds in it before I appropriate it for my own use.
But watch it! I did this about 4 times and now all he's buys are revolvers, I think because he knows I prefer semi-autos.
Now, take your, Mom, your Sister, your Bestest friend, your hairdresser, manicurist, all your female associates/friends/family to the range and turn them on to this rea lly empowering sport.
In fact, you know how there are Tupperware parties, and Mary Kay and BeautiControl and Avon and Pampered Chef parties for women? I think we should get together and do range parties to sell guns and accoutrements especially for women. Who wants to give me the seed money to start this business?
I hope you feel as welcome as we feel happy to have a great gal like you among us.
It took having chirruns to protect that turned me from So-So to gun-ho. Now, whenever my Dearly Beloved buys a new one, I wait to go to the range and run a few rounds in it before I appropriate it for my own use.
But watch it! I did this about 4 times and now all he's buys are revolvers, I think because he knows I prefer semi-autos.
Now, take your, Mom, your Sister, your Bestest friend, your hairdresser, manicurist, all your female associates/friends/family to the range and turn them on to this rea
lly empowering sport. In fact, you know how there are Tupperware parties, and Mary Kay and BeautiControl and Avon and Pampered Chef parties for women? I think we should get together and do range parties to sell guns and accoutrements especially for women. Who wants to give me the seed money to start this business?
rugerman
Member
I have a similar story, I taught my wife to shoot and she does fine now. I have also taught several of my friends wives how to shoot. The best one was a friends wife who had grown up in a house with guns but was scared to death of them. Her husband and father and I went shooting together a good bit so one day I talked her into coming along I brought along several pistols, rifles and shotguns. We started off with 22's and worked our way up by the end of the day she was having more fun than we were (espically her husband because she was shooting better he was). When I dropped them off at home she hugged my neck and thanked me for the great time and said to call me anytime I needed a shooting partner, then her husband looked at me and said I guess you know that you've created a monster. Now she hunts and loves it. rugerman
sm
member
Great Idea!
Sheesh - when I assisted with CCW and we did the ladies day, had all sorts of guns , holsters and equipment for ladies to try and share what works for them - it was Great. I mean the seasoned lady shooters assisting the new lady shooters on body types and how to dress around various concealment. I learned from them. Then of course I got picked on being the only guy.
sniff, sniff hurt my feelings...ladies said that old Gubmint model 45 with the worn blueing clashed with my eyes...said my IWB Galco "stinks". They ran me off to buy ice and sodas, pick up some deli tray...nah...women wouldn't say stuff just to run a guy off now would they?
Yes they would....
Holly - I hope this comes to fruition. I don't have the money - then again this shameless bump can't hurt - right?
Sheesh - when I assisted with CCW and we did the ladies day, had all sorts of guns , holsters and equipment for ladies to try and share what works for them - it was Great. I mean the seasoned lady shooters assisting the new lady shooters on body types and how to dress around various concealment. I learned from them. Then of course I got picked on being the only guy.
sniff, sniff hurt my feelings...ladies said that old Gubmint model 45 with the worn blueing clashed with my eyes...said my IWB Galco "stinks". They ran me off to buy ice and sodas, pick up some deli tray...nah...women wouldn't say stuff just to run a guy off now would they?
Yes they would....
Stevie-Ray
Member
My wife says no when she thinks I don't need any more guns. That started about 6 or 8 guns ago. It doesn't matter, she knows I'll get it anyway. This is because I let her go wild with the charge cards and the shopping channels. Hey, if it gives her a little pleasure, why not? She's got a pretty lousy life having been handicapped for the last 25 years of our marriage. I've tried to teach her how to use the lightest of my handguns for her own protection to no avail. Her hands simply don't work like normal ones. But she considers herself well-protected. And while she thinks we (I) spend too much money foolishly, after the new guns are in the house, nothing more is ever said.
30 years later and she's still the only girl for me.
It doesn't matter, she knows I'll get it anyway. This is because I let her go wild with the charge cards and the shopping channels. Hey, if it gives her a little pleasure, why not? She's got a pretty lousy life having been handicapped for the last 25 years of our marriage. I've tried to teach her how to use the lightest of my handguns for her own protection to no avail. Her hands simply don't work like normal ones. But she considers herself well-protected. And while she thinks we (I) spend too much money foolishly, after the new guns are in the house, nothing more is ever said.30 years later and she's still the only girl for me.
cracked butt
Member
Wow, up until the last 2 paragraphs I thought it might have been my wife that had found this board from my browser history and made a post. My wife went through the exact same ordeal, even her fear of shooting a pistol for the first time was pretty much exactly as you described. Unfortunately, she has only progressed to becoming indifferent toward guns rather than understanding their utility for self defense.
I'm glad it worked out wonderfully for you and welcome to THR.
I'm glad it worked out wonderfully for you and welcome to THR.
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